Life's Defining Moments
by superdupersk8r61
Summary: Sometimes it's not the big moments in life that have the most impact on who we become. Sometimes it's the little things that define us...A series of ficlets in which the reason why each doctor at Seattle Grace chose to become a surgeon is explored
1. Mark

**A/N: **So this idea actually came to me a couple years ago when I was thinking about what I wanted to do with my life and instead of actually coming up with an answer, I thought, "I wonder why the Seattle Grace doctors wanted to become surgeons?" So I came up with a few ideas for a few of the doctors but then forgot about it. But today, I decided I wanted to ressurect it. I'm planning on posting a different doctor's story each day. They will all just be short snapshots. I'm actually going to start with Mark because his was the first concept I came up with. I hope you enjoy. Please read and review! It always gives me encouragement to continue:)

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing to do with _Grey's Anatomy_ and am making absolutely zero profit from this.

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**Mark**

Seven year-old Mark Sloan had his first girlfriend. At nine, she was much more mature than he, more wise to the ways of the world. One day, they were sitting out in his backyard, under a large willow tree; its long, cascading branches hiding the pair from the watchful eyes of their parents. They were sitting there bored, racking their minds for something to do. She turned to him, looked at him intently for a moment, then asked, "Hey, do you want to play doctor?" He, being only seven and, therefore, still slightly innocent asked, "How do you play?" "It's simple," she explained, pulling her shirt over her head, and dropping her pants to her ankles. "I'm sick so you have to examine me." His first naked woman. He would have many in his life, but this one would make the biggest impression. He never forgot his experience playing "doctor" and there, underneath that willow tree, he made a silent vow that one day he would become a real doctor. He had liked what he saw, and wanted to see much more. The plastic surgeon part came later, when he was a little older, and realized that plastic surgery patients were generally female.

**Up Next: Callie**


	2. Callie

**A/N: **A big thank you to sw1m4l1fe and Emelie for their reviews on the first chapter! I really appreciate your comments. This chapter isn't as amusing as the last, but it's actually somewhat based on my life. enjoy :)

**Callie**

When Callie Torres was a teenager, she wanted to be an actress. Her parents were always telling her she certainly was dramatic enough. Only problem was, she had terrible stage fright. When she auditioned for a play, in hopes of stepping closer to pursuing her dreams, she stepped onstage and froze. She stood rooted to the same spot for five minutes, a "deer-in-the-headlights" look plastered across her face, until someone finally came and led her off the stage. Later that night, she glumly sat in her living room, channel surfing, until she came across her mom's favorite show: ER. She watched the episode in a new light, looking at it like she never had before. She used to watch it to study the acting, but now she began to notice how exciting the doctors' lives seemed to be, especially when the surgeons were cutting people open. Their lives were so fast-paced and dramatic, and of course, the hookups in the on-call room seemed so exciting and dangerous and forbidden. She felt a stirring in her stomach. She wanted that, _needed _it. She began craving the rush that she was sure would come with saving someone's life. She thought it would make her feel like a hero, but of course, she would never acknowledge that openly, she would stay humble. That was the day she decided she was going to have the life like the characters on the TV screen. She was going to be a surgeon.

**Up Next: Izzie**


	3. Izzie

**A/N: **As always, a big thank you to my reviewers: Morgan89, Jenni-Wren, and sw1m4l1fe as well as to those who have added this to favs or alerts. even the worst day can be brightened with a new email from ff :) i hope you enjoy this next installment!

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**Izzie**

Izzie Stevens hated stereotypes. Always had. When she was younger, she had an African-American best friend who didn't talk to the screen when they went to the movies, and her neighbor, Mr. Li, was one of the best drivers around. But the one she hated most was the one everyone associated with her: because she was blonde and well-endowed in the chest area, she was automatically stupid. A wave of anger would wash over her when she saw another famous, ditzy blonde say something idiotic on camera. They were giving the rest of them a bad name. She always tried to strike out against the stereotype. The breaking point came when the guy she was crushing on in high school turned her down when she asked him to a movie, claiming, "he only dated smart girls." He didn't know what kind of grades she got, or that her favorite pastime was reading, he just automatically assumed. She had had enough. She decided she was going to prove Chace Lyons, and everyone who had ever doubt her intellect, wrong. She tried to figure out the best way to do it, until one day, it finally hit her. She was going to be successful in a very demanding, brain skills needing, mostly male doing job. She was going to be surgeon. That'll show them.

**Up Next: Alex**


	4. Alex

**A/N: **Thanks to addie's-intern, Jennie-Wren, and sw1m4l1fe for their reviews of the last chapter. Also, a HUGE thank you to sw1m4l1fe for giving me a reason why Alex would want to be a surgeon. I would have been stuck without you, dear!! and to addie's intern- when i first came up this idea, addie was still on the show, so i was definitely thinking of writing a piece for her.

**Disclaimer: **haven't said it for the past couple of chapters, but i still don't own Grey's. Also, i threw in a small homage to one of my new favorite shows in this chapter. so i don't own that either. but can you guys spot it? i'm sure you can. you're all very astute people :)

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**Alex**

Alex Karev is a tough guy. Growing up in the type of home that he did, he didn't have much of a choice. It was a matter of survival. It was either endure another beating or fight back. Alex chose to fight back. He joined the high school wrestling team as a freshman and that became the beginning of the end; the end of his old life. He no longer had to put up with his abusive, alcoholic father. The power was now in his hands. But then, the power went to his head. He began to use it to prey upon younger, dorkier, weaker kids in school. After all, he had suffered for years, why shouldn't others get a little taste of what it was like? He never caused any permanent damage of course, it was more of the stereotypical high school bully things; ripping underwear from extreme wedgies, slushies in the face, kids in the dumpster- just normal, everyday things. But then one day, as he was walking home from school, he heard a strange noise coming from a back alley. Being that he was from Nowheresville, Iowa and one often didn't hear strange noises, his instinctual investigative nature took over and he turned left to head down the alley instead of continuing straight toward his house. Down at the end of the alley were two men: one small man cowering in the corner and another much larger man hovering over the former, repeatedly punching his face, shouting, "Where's my money?" When Alex made a move toward the pair, the assailant looked up, and noticing him, took off the other way in hopes of not being caught. And when Alex rushed over to the victim he took one look at his bloodied, mangles face and caught a glimpse of his future. If he wasn't careful he could turn into the kind of guy who beat up guys in the alleyway. He could turn into his father. It was there, crouching next the injured man, holding a piece of his t-shirt to the guy's nose to try and stop the bleeding, when he decided that he no longer wanted to cause harm to others. And to make for the harm that he had already caused, he was going to somehow heal people that had been harmed by others. And he thought the best way to do that was to become a surgeon and literally help people put back the pieces of their lives.

**Up Next: **Arizona


	5. Arizona

**A/N:** I apologize for the HUGE delay. I know I said I'd post everyday, but with the current school schedule I have, that's next to impossible. But I am going to do my best. To make up for it, this snippet is a bit longer than the others have been. I took the idea for one of my older stories, "She's In Love With A Boy". Feel free to check it out. Okay, so after that shameless plug, I'll shut up. I hope you enjoy Arizona's story!

**Shoutout: **to sw1m4l1fe and Jenni-Wren for their reviews on the last chapter. You guys are the best :)

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**Arizona**

Arizona Robbins has spent the majority of her life in hospitals. And while it's true that anyone who has every gone through four years of medical school, seven years of residency, and two-plus years of subspecialty training and then however many years of practicing after that, might _feel_ like they spent the majority of their life in the hospital, but Arizona can top that. She started spending all her time in the hospital when she was six. She was six when she was diagnosed with a brain tumor. Her father dragged her from doctor to doctor, and from hospital to hospital, searching for someone who would operate on the tumor, situated in the pivotal posterior cranial fossa, dangerously close to her brain stem. But finally, after two years of searching, they finally found a surgeon willing to do it, far across the country in Boston. Arizona didn't want to go so far away from home, but she knew she didn't have a choice. When she arrived, she met her new doctor. She did not like him. He was cold and emotionless and seemed in to way equipped to deal with a young child. But he was the best. And so they stayed. It wasn't so bad; after all, she had her dad to keep her company and comfort her; at least as well as Marine Corps colonel could. That is, until the day came for her surgery. They took her dad away early so she could "prepare" but all it really did was leave her alone and frightened. She lay alone in her bed, not knowing what was going to happen next, when her room door opened and a doctor she had never seen before walked in. He looked young. "Hi, are you Arizona?" the doctor asked her. She merely shrugged. She didn't feel like talking. "That's okay. I get nervous around strangers too," he said with a kind smile, coming over to her and messing with the monitors attached to her. "I'm Dr. Mahoney, but you can call me Matt if you want." Arizona didn't want to call him anything. She just wanted to go home. When she didn't respond, the doctor continued going about his business. When he unplugged her bed and was about to wheel her away, Arizona finally spoke. "Where's my daddy?" she asked, her voice shaking, obviously scared and close to tears. Dr. Mahoney stopped and went over to sit on the side of the bed. "He can't be with you right now, but don't worry. That's why I'm here. I'm going to take care of you," he whispered soothingly, taking her tiny hand in his. "I'm scared," she whimpered, not completely convinced. The doctor squeezed her hand even tighter, trying to reassure her. "I know you are. It's okay to be. But just remember, I won't let anything happen to you. I'm not going to leave you," he promised. Arizona nodded, feeling a little better. Then he got up and continued wheeling her away. Once they got to the operating room, he was the last thing she remembered before she fell asleep under the mask and the first thing she saw when she woke up. He kept his promise and never left her. The surgery was a success. Her tumor was gone and she and her father returned home. But Arizona never forgot that kind doctor back in Boston and how he only had to say a few simple words to make everything seem like it would be okay. And she knew that when she grew up, she was going to be just like Dr. Mahoney and make sure every child who came to see her knew that they were safe in her care.

**Up Next: Derek**


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